Scope Art Fair London 2008

Along with Basel, New York City, Miami and the Hamptons Scope is also a satelite fair to the Frieze Art Fair in London.

Due to the economic climate only 50 galleries were exhibiting at the Lord' s Cricket Ground. I think this somewhat remote location there was also a reason, why there were not to many visitors.

But there was enough space and good light to present the art in the booths in an attractive way. (In contrary to the Zoo Art Fair.)

UGL (C) D. Glaser + M. Kunz courtesy GalLiardi Art System gallery

At the main entrance there was an installation 'Autoportrait' by Daniel Glaser + Magdalena Kunz showing two people having a dialogue on art positions within a 70s sports car. The two people were lifesize dolls with video-projected faces.

Inside there was another installation called 'voices' by the same two artists shown at the booth of GalLiardi Art System gallery. These were two zen monk like figures reasoning about art theory.

UGL (C) Doug Foster

The work I liked most was a video installation / sculpture 'Breather' of 2008 by the British artist Doug Foster. It is easy to detect that he has a professional movie industry background.

It was a rusty steel construction with two two small eye ports. You could look through each after the other.

(C) Doug Foster courtesy Fine Art Society

Inside were two video screens that created the impression the sculpture is half full with water. Throgh the upper window you could watch a woman surfacing, taking breath and diving again and again.

In the lower window you could see the same woman diving down to a man - obviously trapped down there. Then she gave him fresh air by breathing in his mouth. Finally she resurfaced.

Really scary! I liked this claustrophobic work as it gives you feelings that weren' t there without it. Aside of that this work askes the question of dependencies between man and woman.

The edition of 5 was offered by the Fine Art Society of New Bond Street, London.